Tag: C-section

There’s something really bizarre about knowing that I’ll be a second-time mom by next Thursday (and hopefully not sooner!). I had my pre-op appointment with my doctor yesterday and he’s growing exactly on track. She guessed 8.5 pounds; Luis and I think more like 7.5 so we’ll see who is right 😉 Continue reading “Knowing”→

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To be honest, even though I knew I would be having a repeat C-section, I was a little surprised to hear the date when the surgeon’s scheduler called this afternoon … I knew it would be sometime between October 2-9 but hearing the date — and its finality — I was in momentary shock. “Whoa! This is REAL.” Continue reading “10. 3. 13”→

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Although I feel like I have been pregnant for an eternity (and I kind of have … since Jan.) and this summer heat wave is kicking my booty … in many ways, it’s hard to conceptualize that the third trimester is here already. It feels like it’s flown by.

And in the next twelve weeks, he who has no name will be here.

Holycrap.

Our entire family dynamic will change. I will become mother to a son. Luis will become father to a son. Maya will become a big sister. And our little family of four will become five.Continue reading “28 Weeks Down, 12 to Go”→

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I began Weight Watchers (online) in 2004 completely alone. My mom had had success with the program, and I had a feeling if I just gave it a go, it’d work. Being in a long-distance international relationship, with family far away, all I had to focus on was myself and my friends. It was the most selfish time of my life and, admittedly, that’s partially what I credit to getting me to my goal in December 2004. I lost 35 pounds and was a lean (but solid) size 6.

What also helped me get to goal with this fabulous group of women I met online in September 2004 on the Weight Watchers message boards. We dubbed ourselves the Weekend Sabatogers. We’d post several times a day on our thread sharing menu ideas, workouts, weekly weigh-ins (WI) and Weight Watchers-related stuff at first. But in time, we grew closer and shared much more personal things, celebrating each other’s joys as well as not-so-joyful times. Continue reading “Accountability”→

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Over the past five months, the squiggly black line (known as linea negra) that stretched as my belly grew and then shrank post-partum has now nearly completely disappeared.

It’s weird, in a way, how affected I’ve been by this slow dissolution of the mark — a mark which I found freakish and ugly in the beginning when it appeared and, later, came to view as badge of honor of sorts: it was yet another way for me to see Maya growing in the womb (as it got bigger as she got bigger). It was another way for me to connect with her, at least physically. Continue reading “The Squiggly Black Line”→

Sure, I’m not in the same shape I was in pre-pregnancy, and I’m definitely carrying extra weight at the moment but holy hell, I’ve still got it!

Today I got the green light to exercise at my 6-week check-up (and was told my scar is healing perfectly! YAY!). As soon as my husband got home from work, I booked it to the gym. I did a half hour on the Precor with arms and from the moment I stepped on the machine, I felt “home.” Continue reading “30 Minutes of Heaven”→

Two or three weeks before having Maya, I was still getting strong Braxton-Hicks contractions when I exercised. That, coupled with increased pressure on my lower back and bladder, meant workouts were becoming more and more difficult. I made the decision to stop formally working out and was totally OK with it at the time. I knew I was having a C-section and did not want to set myself into early labor if I could avoid it.

The only problem I have with a C-section is the lengthy recovery time–much of which is due to the internal healing one experiences following major abdominal surgery.

Though I physically have felt great since probably 3 days after my C-section, I was certainly in no condition to exercise –hell, I could barely get in and out of a car or bed for two weeks without difficulty! And even the following few weeks, I felt better and stronger, but had zero energy and couldn’t even fathom finding time to exercise — let alone the physical capacity to do so.

Now, I’m 5+ weeks post-partum and have my 6-week check-up this Friday, where I will hopefully be given the green light to exercise again … and I couldn’t be happier.